Fire-alarm system.



W. S. SCHUYLER.

FIRE ALARM SYSTEM. APPLlcAloN man MAR.26.19\1.

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FIRE ALARM SYSTEM.

APPLICATION msn MAR. 2s. 1911.

l ,28Q,295. Patented Oct. 22, 1918..

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FIRE ALARM SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.26, 1917.

Patented Oct. 22, 1918.

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W. S. SCHUYLER.

FIRE ALARM SYSTEM.v

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 26. ISI]- 1,282,295. I Patented 0013.22, 1918.

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W. S. SCHUYLER.

'FIRE ALARM SYSTEM.

APPLICATION man MAR. 26. 1911.

Patented Oet. 22, 1918..

8 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

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FIRE ALARM SYSTEM.

APPLICATION man MAR. 26. |917.

,282,295. utonted Oct. 1918.,

8 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

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W. S. SCHUYLER.

FIRE ALARM SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 26. I9I1.

1,282,295, I Patented Oct. 22, 1918.

8 SHEETS*SHEET I.

FIG. 30,

INVEN TOR.'

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W. S. SCHUYLER.

FIRE ALARM SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 2s. 1917.

1,282,295.. Patented Ot. 22, 1918.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 8.

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.FJIZEYSC para r WILTON S. SCHUYLER, 0F SAVANNAH, MISSOURI.

FIRE-ALARM SYSTEM.

Lasagna.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 22, 1918.

Application tiled March 26, 1917. Serial No. 157,457.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, VVILTON S. SGHUYLER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Savannah, in the county of Andrew and State of Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement Vin Fire-Alarm Systems; andv I do hereby declare that the following description of my said invention, taken in connection with the accompanying sheet of drawing, forms a full, clear, and exact speciiication, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates generally to im-i provements in fire alarm systems; and it consists, essentially, in the novel and peculiar combination of parts and details of construction, hereinafter rst fully set forth and described and then pointed out in the claims.

The principal object of this invention is the production and installation of an eiiicient and serviceable, automatically operating fire alarm system in which I take advantage of the noise produced by a fire alarm bell that is struck at a rapid rate and to control the bell striking mechanism so that the location of a fire may be known by the pauses in the ringing, and which system is especially designed for the smaller towns and villages in which a tire bell is sounded to give the fire alarm. In this installation I introduce mechanically operated and electrically controlled mechanism for striking the bell, such as I have shown in the application for Letters Patent of the United States, Serial No. 108,038 tiled July 7th, 1916, preferring in this system to employ two hammers which strike the bell alternately, each stroke designating a number. being as a matter of fact, a series of rapidly given blows upon the bell, following one another at high speed, there being eXcept in one instance to be hereinafter explained, a short interval between the successive blows to indicate the number, and a longer interval between the district indicating strokes.

In the drawings which form a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a perspective view of abell tower or similar structure in which the fire bell and the mechanism for ringing it is mounted. Fig. 2 is a frontY elevation of the mechanism by which the bell ringing is. indicated. Fig. 3 is a detail illustrating the ward control mechanism for 'overning the striking of the bell to indicat-e the ward in which there is a lire. Fig. 4: is a left end elevation of the governing apparatus. F-ig.

5 is an elevation of part of the switch mech-1 anism which opens and closes an electric current leading to the bell striking mechanism. Figs. 6', 7, and 8 are plan views of the ward control disks. Fig. 9 is an elevation of the right hand end of the apparatus, elements shown in other figures being omitted. Fig. 10 is an elevation illustrating the brake mechanism employed in this apparatus. Fig. 11 is a partial section on line 11-11 of Fig. 10. Fig. 12 is a plan of the apparatus below the line 12-12 of Fig. 2. Fig. 18 is a detail elevation of the key levers and associated mechanism. Fig. 14 is a sectional view on line lil-lll of Fig. 13. Fig. 15 is an elevation of a part of the operatmg mechanism. Fig. 16 is an end view of one of the electric switches employed in this apparatus. Fig. 17 is an elevation of a portion of the apparatus for lifting the drops in the annunciator showing the same in normal position. Fig. 18 is a similar view illustrating this mechanism in the act of lifting these drops, and Fig. 19 is an end view of the same. Fig. 20 shows the same mechanism at the moment when the drops have been lifted and the parts are ready to return to their normal position. Figs. 21 and 22 are diagrammatic plans showing the various electrical circuits operating this apparatus. Fig. 23 is a diagrammatic plan illustrating the manner in which the firey alarms are given by the alarm bell.

Referring to Fig. 1 which shows a bell tower or other structure, there is hung in this structure a lire bell'A, which bell is struck by mechanism B shown and described in the application already referred to, preferably two hammers C, which are operated by an electric motor D and gearing contained in a gear case E having cranks 12, 12a, connecting with the hammers C by rods 13, 13a. This bell tower may be located at any convenient place, preferably in a central location, so that the alarm may be heard at any point in a city or town; and 'it is electrically connectedto a central station, not shown, in which the apparatus for controlling the bell actuating mechanism i's installed. This apparatus is' electrically con.-

nected with any source ot electrical energy by conductors which enter and return from the apparatus by leads 14, 15 respectively, and it consists of a base plate F, of, preterably, metallic construction on which there is mounted an electric motor G, the shaft 17 of which extends to a gear-housing or frame structure H having bearings 16 for said shaft. Between these bearine's there is mounted on said shaft 17 a worm 18 which meshes with a worm wheel '19 secured to a shaft 2O alsojournaled in bearings 20a, Figs. 12 and 15, in said housing and carrying a wrorm21, which engages a worm wheel 22, mounted o n a j ack shaft 23, journaled in lsaid housing inbearing 15a. VUpon this shaft 23 thereis secured, among other parts to be hereinafter described, a pinion meshing with aspur gear wheel 25 iixed to an operating shaft I, rot-ating` at. one end in a bearing 26 forming a. part of the housing H, and at its other end in a bearing 27, on a standard 28, mounted on the baseplate F.

Upon this operating shaft I, there is fixed a circular disk 29, Figs. 4, 5 and 12, in the periphery ot' which there is a notch 30, best shown in Fig. 5, which actuates a switch W comprising a switch lever 31, and a switch mechanism by which an electric circuit is closed that leads to the motor D in the bell tower to operate the same. This switch lV, comprises a standard 32, having a pivot 33, upon which the lever 31 is journaled, one end of said lever engaging said notch 30, the other arm of said lever carrying, on insulating material 34, a long switch kuit`e35, and a short switch knife 36, the former constantly engaginga. switch fork 37, properly insulated from a post 3S, on said standard 32. and the short switch knife 36 engaging a switch fork 39, both switch forks having binding posts 40, 41, with which the electric conductors 42 are connected. Normally, the electric circuit leading` to the switch mechanism il?,` described is open, but when the shaft .I with its disk 29V rotates and the switch lever is moved by its upper` extremity' moving out of the notch 30, the short switch knife 36, which is formed in oneV piece with the long knife 35, will engage the switch fork 39 and thus close the circuit. The long switch knife being at all times in engagement with the switch fork 37, insures positive action of the switch proper by leading the shorter portion 36into the fork 39. This switch is opened by a spring 31a, when the top of operating arm comes to ynotch 30. This action is quick so there will be no great arcing of current.

The mechanism which starts the rotation of the relectric -motor G comprises the tollowing mechanism:

Let it 'be assumed that there are in a township say live districts from which an alarm may be sent to headquarters to give the fire alarm and to indicate from which district the alarm has been turned in. In this case I provide a ward indicator J, suitably mounted on the apparatus, as shown in Figs. 2, 4 and 9, and having live drops numbered from 1 to 5 inclusive, which drops uncoycr these figures when in dropped-down position, one of the drops being shown exposed in Fig. 2, but normally cover the same. These drops and the mechanism by which each is opera-ted independently of all they 47 of the solenoid K, and is pulled when the solenoid is electrically excited.

To a cross angle bar 43, Fig. 13, connecting the upright posts 145, 145% there is pivoted, in a bracket 49, by a bolt 51, an arm 52. This arm terminates between two plates 53, 54, best illustrated in Figs. 13 yand 14, of which the plate 54 is permanently secured to the arm 46 of the lever L and the plate 53 is movably secured to the plate 54 by bolts 55, 56, a spring 56', on the bolt 55 keeping the plate 53 in normal position, shown in Fig. 14, theplate 54 being removed in Fig. 13 to more clearly illustrate the construction of the plate 53 and its connection with the arm 52. The end 57 of this arm is formed wedge-shaped, as shown in Fig. 14,-

and on the plate 53 there is a wedge-shaped projection 58. Normally the end of the arm 52 rests vupon the Y upper, VVslightly lhookshaped, `projection 53 in the plate. 53, but when the bent arm 46 is pulled by the solenoid or the key lever L depressed by hand, the projection 58 moves away from the end ot the arm 52, which arm visthen pulled down by a tensioned spring 59, and rests on a cross bar 52a. This arm 52 is vconnected by a.V rod 60, Figs. 2, 4, and 9, to one `ot the drops 1 to 5, and when this arm descends, it pulls the drop and discloses the figure on the ward indicator board J showing that an of which there :is `secured the knife plate 62' of an electric switch X; and to an angleY transverse bar (53, secured to the uprights 45,V

`tion to the pinion 24, four notched disks M 66, 67, 68 and 69, Figs. 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8 and 12, each of which is different from the others, as will hereinafter appear. Each of these disks M 66 to 69 inclusive is connected to one terminal of an electric circuit by groundiugrthe standard H by a Contact brush 16b engaging the hub of the disk M 68, the opposite electrical terminal being formed by four contact pieces 70, 71, 72 and 78, secured,

in pairs, to insulating` plates 74E, 75, located' on a bar 76, fastened to brackets 77, extending from the standard H. Each of vthese contact pieces is connected to its own electric conductor, the forward end of each of these contact pieces being within the range of its respective toothed disk M, which when rotating alternately opens and closes its respective electric circuit to send an electric current to the solenoid coils 88, 83 of the bell striking hammers.

1n my co-pending application already referred to, 1 have shown and described the bell striking mechanism, so that by reference to said application the details thereof will be readily understood, wherefore it will be sufficient to state. here that the verticallyl operating rods 13, 13a, Fig. 1, move continuously after the electric motor D has been started, but they do not engage the hammers o* 'ing to the fact that a gap 78 in the hook 7 9 is closed by a block or shuttle 80 operated by the solenoid 88 on the hook 7 9.

1 shall now describe one of the toothed disks M, selecting for this purpose disk M 66, best shown in Fig. 3. This disk has four comparatively wide teeth 81 and equally spaced therebetween, one narrow tooth 82 or two spaces between two long teeth. Y lhen this disk rotates these teeth touch the end of the contact piece and thereby send a current of electrical energy to the solenoids 83 and 8.8a on the hook of the bell striking mechanism to raise the shuttle 80 and thus close the gap 78, thereby preventing the hooks 79 from engaging the hammers and strike the bell. Now, while the wide tooth passes the end of the contact piece 7 0, the hammers do not operate, but as soon as the wide tooth has passed the end of the contact piece 70, as shown in Fig. 8, the electric circuit is opened, the shuttle 80 drops and the bell is rung until the first short'tooth reaches 7 0,-when the 'electric circuit is again closed,

the shuttle 8O raised by the solenoids 88, Fig. 1, until the short tooth has passed 70, and this alternate opening and closing of the circuit continues as long as the disk M rotates. Arnd 1 may now explain how this alternato striking of the bell and the int-ervals of silence indicates the proper ward from which a fire alarm has been turned in.

The electric motor G rotates at a speed of approximately, 1750 revolutions per ininute, but the jack shaft on which the dis ts M are mounted makes but one revolution in about 65 seconds owing to the speed reducing gearing already described. Referring to disk M 68, Fig. 7, which has two long teeth 81, and three short teeth 82 between each long tooth, and hence has four spaces between each long tooth, the teeth effect intervals of silence and the spaces between the teeth cause the ringing of the bell. Thus the first long tooth, when the apparatus is in motion, will cause a silence of, say, six seconds, the first space a ringing of about seconds, countingas one stroke, the first short tooth aI silence of one second, the second space a ringing'` of about five seconds counting as the second stroke, the second short tooth a silence of one second, the third space a ringing of five seconds counting as the third stroke, the third short tooth a silence of one second, and the fourth space a ringing of five seconds counting as the fourth stroke, thus indicating that the alarm has been sent in from Y/Vard No. 4. There will then be a silence of six seconds caused bythe long tooth on the disk, and this longer silence marks the end of the first, and the beginning of the second cycle of the striking of the bell. The cycles of bell striking are graphically illustrated in Fig. 23 by longer and shorter dashes with longer and shorter spaces between the dashes, the dashes indicating bell ringing, and the spaces between the dashes indicating intervals of silence between the strokes of the bell.

Although all the disks M rotate simultaneously', and notwithstanding the fact that all the contact plates engaging them are at some time or other in engagement, only one of Jhose disks is rendered operative at a time and this is accomplished by the following means:

l have already stated that at the end of arm 52 there is an electric switch X, the knife plate 62 of which is in connection with the two switch forks 611, 65 and constitute the switch which makes and breaks the electric current that operates the motor G and through it rotates the disks M.V On each of these arms 52, of which there are five, there is, however, an additional switch plate 84, shown in detail in Fig. y16, which switch plate engages switch forks 87, one of which, say the fifth one, is electrically connected to the contact '73, the next one to contact 72 and so on, the fourth one being connected to contact 70, while the fifth one, corresponding to Tard No. 1, does not lead to any contact plate but goes only to the motor Gr, so that when the proper arm 52 has been dropped by its respective solenoid or by proper clepressimg of the key-bar L the electric current will not only go to the motor Gr but also to the proper disk M and thence to the' solenoids 83, 83a. t will thus be noticed that should the ward indicator receive a fire alarm on drop 3, the lever L3 will drop, the proper arm 52will be pulled down by the spring 59, the two pairs of switches 62 and 64-65 and 84, 86-87 on this arm will engage and close the twoelectric circuits to motor G and to contact 71, respectively, and thus bringing the diskM 67 into the electric circuit, cause the alarm bell to strike the three blows with a longer interval between the sets of blows suiicient to plainly distinguish betweenthe short intervals between the blows and a recurrence of the cycle of blows, which may be continued for four vor five minutes which is ample time to notify and arouse those people in the town which are interested in a re.

In order to prevent the receiving of a second fire alarm which may be sent in from a different ward and thus cause confusion of alarm signals, I provide mechanism which prevents the depression of any one or more of the live key bars L while a fire alarm is being rung, which mechanism includes the following elements.

Each of the key bars L has on one of its flanks a pivotally connected leverV N', shown in detail in Fig. 13, which lever has at one end a vdownwardly extending lug 86. The

l upper ends of the two upright arms 50, 50a

are connected by a cross rod 87, said upright arms 50, 50;L being pivoted at their lower ends in standards 88 by pivotal bolts 89. On each of these two arms is mounted a roller 90. Upon the operating shaft I, ad- `iacent to the arms v50, 50a there are mounted two disks 91, each of which has in its periph-y ery a curved notch 92. Normally these notches are engaged by the rollers 90 so that the upright arms 50, 5()a are in approximately vertical position, as illustrated in Fig. 9, but when these disks 91 begin to rotate in the direction shown by an arrow in Fig. 13 they will force the rollers 90 out of the notches 92 andL push the upright arms 50, 50l into inclined position shown in Fig. 18 where the transverse rod 87 stepping under the lugs 86 on the levers N prevents the key levers L being depressed. And these key levers L will remain in vtheir thus locked position until near the completion of the alarm ringing, which it may here be stated lasts for about four and one-half minutes, during which time the operating shaft I makes butone revolution. Attention is now invited to the locking mechanism for the keys, comprising the uprightsO, 50a, and their connecting bar 87. When any one of the keys L is depressed to initiate an alarm, and the shaft I `commences its single rotation and thereby forces the uprights 50, 50a, from their normal position, and the rod 87 steps under the lugs 86, it will lift the depressed key in case it should be held depressed by the operator, and thus lock the depressed key with the remaining keys so that the automatically operating mechanism for depressing a key which includes the proper solenoid K, cannot depress a key as long as shaft I rotates. This is an important feature of my invention, because it prevents two alarms being given at the same time which would cause a confusion of signals, and thereby affect the efficiency of the apparatus.

To liberate the key levers, ready for another lire alarm being received or to correct an error in the giving of the alarm, I employ mechanism including the following elements:

Upon the operating shaft I, Fig. 12, there are loosely mounted two levers R, which are connected at their ends by a rod 94. Atsome distance from thes levers R there are fixed to said shaft I two arms O and in the space between these two arms and the levers R and wound on the operating shaft I, there are two coiled springs, one end of which is affixed to said arms and the other end to said levers R. These springs are in tension, and on each of disks 91 there is a pin 95, which prevents the springs from unwinding, by the levers R bearing against these pins. Upon an angle iron bar 96, Fig. 13, connecting the upright posts 45, 45a, Figs. 9 and 12,'there is located a standard 97, in which there is pivoted, by a pivotbolt 198, a hook T, which hook has attached to it a tensioned coil spring 99 to keep the hook in normal position.

Upon the operating shaft I, approximately medially of said shaft, and adjacent the hook T, there is affixed an arm U; and on the hook T there is mounted a roller 100. Now, as the shaft I with the levers R rotates and this shaft nearly rea-ches the terminal.

of one revolution, the bar 94 reaches the hook T and thereby arrests the movement of this bar and the levers R, while the arms O continue to revolveV and thereby increases `the tension. of the springs S until the arm LI reaches the roller 100 and moving the hook T, causing disengagement of the rod 94 from said hook and the springs S to rotate the levers R with the rod 94. This rod then Passes underneath all 0f the arms L52, lifts all the arms 52' which may have been lio dropped. J ust prior to the movement when the operating shaft I completes its revolution the disks 91 allow the rollers 90 on the upright arms 50, "L to fall into the notches 92 and the lever 31 of the switch l/V drops into the notch 30011 disk 29, thereby to open the circuit to the motor D and to restore all the operating parts to their normal position ready for the next incoming alarm. I have heretofore stated that there are assumed to be five wards from which an alarm may be sent to the apparatus but that there are but four toothed disks M which cause the striking of the numbers of the wards from ward two to ward live, the first ward having no such toothed wheel and the Aelectric current going directly from the proper switch on the arm to motor G,-it follows that a fire alarm for Ward No. 1 rings continuously withoutinterruption during the entire time that the operating shaft I makes its one revolution.

1 have hereinbefore stated that when the apparatus has once been started to sound a ward alarm, a second alarm will be received and shown by the annunciator V, at the receiving station but an alarm cannot be sounded until the completion of the sounding of the first alarm. But inasmuch as there is a possibility of the operator in charge making a mistake bydepressing the wrong key lever and also the possibility of a second alarm being turned in if there happens to be two tires at diHerent wards before the first alarm has been completed, l have devised means whereby an error in the starting of the alarm may be corrected, and also whereby after the first alarm has been rung for a sucient time to arouse the people, the first alarm may be stopped and the second alarm sounded, which means include the following mechanism:

Let it be assumed that all the key levers have been locked in the manner described and the first fire alarm has started to indicate the ward and the operator has discovered that he or she has depressed the wrong. key lever L, thereby giving a wrong alarm; to correct this error there is provided on the flank of each key lever L a slide 105, and on the edge of the lever N pivoted to the key lever L there is a notch S6, Fig. 9, wherewith the tapered terminal S6" of said slide engages to lock this lever N in normal position. rllhis slide 105 has a hook 106 by which the slide may be pulled and the key lever L depressed to disengage the slide from the lever N. YWhen the slide 105 is pulled and the key lever L is being depressed, the lever N will be caused to rotate on its pivot 160, and the part 86 on the lever N to move upwardly, thereby permitting the key lever L to be fully depressed. A spiral spring 107, connected at one end to the slide 105, and at the other end to an arm 108, extending upwardly from the lever N, will return the lever N to normal position' when the hook 106 on the slide 105 is released.

1 will here state that the disks M are so mounted on the jack shaft that one long tooth of all the disks are axially alined, the starting point of the machine being where these alined teeth just touch the contact brushes. And it is this point for which the operator watches when a false alarm is to be corrected, to pull the hook 106 and depress the correct key lever L with one hand, while at the saine time she lifts the wrong drop on the ward indicator J, which stops the ringing of the false alarm and starts the ringing of the correct alarm. Prior to making this change after the error has been detected, the sounding of the alarm can be silenced by closing a switch 137, Fig. 21, which closes the circuits to the solenoids 83, 83a on the bell hammer hooks without stopping the electric motor in the bell tower which operates these hammers.

To sound the second alarm in case two tires are raging at the same time, the operator handles the apparatus in the same manner as that described with reference to correcting an error in giving an alarm, except that after having sounded the first alarm, for say two minutes, she allows a longer interval of silence, say thirty seconds, before she operates the proper key lever for starting the second alarm.

ln this apparatus there are provisions made whereby the duration of silence between each stroke ofthe bell can be increased and the duration of the rings therebetween shortened, and at the same time afford 'means for compensating for wear at the ends of the contact brushes, which means are alike for all the four disks M and are best illustrated in Fig. 3, selecting for this purpose the disk M 66 which is employed to sound the alarm coming from Ward No. 2. IThe contact brush 70 is slightly curved at its free end as shown at 109, the opposite end being screwed down upon the insulating plate 74 secured to the bar 76 by kbolt 111, the electric wire leading to this contact brush being placed under and held in metallic contact to the brush by the screw 110. ln this contact plate 74 there is a second screw 112 which passes through the Contact plate, the head of the screw being on the upper side of the blade. This blade is bent beyond the point of fastening thereof to the insulating plate so that at the margin of the insulating plate 74.- there is a space 118. lt follows that, when in normal condition, the free end of the contact brush just touches the outer periphery of the teeth 81, 82 and the duration of the silence between strokes corresponds to the time that it takes a tooth to pass the free end of the contact blade; but if this screw 112 is turned to slightly depress the contact blade 70 the free end 109 of the contact blade will move downwardly so that the advancing corner of the tooth will touch the Contact brush at a point more or less remote from its end, thus closing the electric circuit earlier than what takes place when the parts are in normal position; and it follows that when the duration of silence is increased the duration of theringing ofthe alarm will be correspondingly shortened, a fact which will be readily understood. And it furthermore follows that wear at the contact point of the brush withthe peripheries of the teeth von the disk can be readily taken up by rotation of the screw 12 in the right direction.

I have hereinbefore described the operationfof this apparatus as installed in a town where there is ybut one lire alarm bor; in a ward or district such as is generally the case in smaller towns and villages.L But where there are in a ward more than one fire alarm boX, I have provided means for receiving an alarm from any of these fire alarm boxes at headquarters where my signaling apparatus will be stationed, and in the drawings I have shown means for receiving these yiire alarms. Thus in Figs. 2, 4 and 9, I show, located on the apparatus, preferably at the side of the ward indicator tI, an annunciator V which may have as many drops as there are vfire alarm boxes in award. The leading-in wires from each dropin this annunciator may be bunched after leaving the annunciatorv and lead to that solenoid K ofthe apparatus which controls the ope'ration of vthose mechanisms which operate to sound the alarm of that ward from which a ire alarm is received. Of course lthe alarm when ringing does not indicate from which sub-station or fire alarm box in the ward the alarm has been sent in, vbut gives the numbers of the ward only in which these fire alarm boxes are located, which is deemed suliicien't to enable lthe fire apparatus to find ythe location where a fire is raging. And it is obvious that ifY more than one ward have sub-stations I install as many. annunciators V as there are wards having these sub-stations and connect the wires leading to these annunciators to the proper solenoids K which belong tothe respective wards.

When an alarm of fire has been sent in from any of these substations and-the annunciator V has indicated the station by the proper drop, this drop and any other that may'have been dropped are automatically returned to normal or blank position, when the alarm has been fully given, by mechanism including the following elements:

At the upper end of the upright arm 50, best shown in Figs. 17 to 20 inclusive, is pivoted a link or bar 116, and at the upper ends of the upright postso45, L15a, there is journaled a shaft 117. Upon this shaft, outside of the post 45a, there is mounted an arm 118. Projecting from this arm there is a catch pin'119, and adjacent the free end of the bar 116 there is a notch 120 in the edge of said bar which, as will hercinafter appear, is constructed to engage the catch pin 119. On the face of the varm 118 vthere is pivoted by a pivot'b'olt 121, a substantially V-shaped bar having one of its .extremities curved as at 122 to a circular arc having its center inthe axis of the pivot bolt 121. This bar 123 although pivoted to the arm 118 is clamped thereto by a screw 12v-f1, and 'upon the faceof this bar123 there is secured a rod 125. The object of pivoting the bar 123 to the arm 118 is 'to aord means for adjusting this bar 123 on the arm 118 'to enable the pointed end126 to trip the pivoted arm 116 as will now appear.

Then the pivoted upright arms 50, v5()a have been moved by the disks 91 to look the key levers, as already explained, from the 'position shown in Fig. 9 to the position illustrated in ig. 13, the bar engages the catch pin 119, Fig. 18, so that when these pivoted upright arms, at the proper time, return to vtheir normal position, the bar' 116 rotates the shaft 117. At the eXtreme end of this shaft there is a second arm127, best seen in Fig. 20, which arm has a member 128, engaging a fork 129, secured to the push rod V130 of the annunciator V, which lifts the drops to covered-up position, as is usual in annunciators. But when the upright arm 50 approaches the limit of its return movement, the pointed end 126 of the V-'shaped bar 123 touches the end of the bar 116 and while completing its movement,lifts .the bar 116 from the catch pin, thus allowing the arm 118 to drop back to its normal position and allowing the arm 128 and the rod 130 to drop to their starting position. And in order to correctly time this tripping of the arms 118 and 127, the V-shaped plate 123 may be rotated on its pivot to bring its contact point 126. nearer to or farther away from the arm 116 and there locked iin position by the vscrews 124 and .121. This adjustment may also .become necessary in case of wear of the point 126. In this'conneetion it may be appropriate to state .that the operation of the annunciators showing districts orl fire boxes in a ward is not prevented from being shown on the annunciator while an alarm is already ringing, so that the operator may know that there is more than one fire, but this does not stop the continuing of the ringing of the first re alarm unless the 'operator Vchooses to stop the ringing of the first re alarm and start the ringing of the second alarm in the manner already explained.

In order that the operator at the instrument may know that the same is at all times in working order, there are placed in the electric circuit a number of pilot lights which will be lighted up when a circuit is closed. Thus there is a pilot light 132, Fig. 12, in the circuit leading to the electric motor D in the bell tower, and a second pilot light 133 in the circuit leading to the solenoids on the bell striking mechanism in the bell tower, while an electric incandescent lamp 134, Fig. 4, placed in front of the ward ndicator J furnishes light for the entire apparatus as long as the main switch 136 remains closed.

Since the varying distances from the fire alarm boxes in the wards cause various resistances in the transmission of the current to the apparatus, there is installed on the i keyboard F a resistance coil 135, Figs. 4 and 22, to which the series of incoming wires are connected in the well known manner.

A double knife switch 136 is installed on the key board to which the. current from an electric source of supply is connected 'to furnish current to the operating parts, while a single blade switch 137 is placed on the key board to open and close the short circuit leading to the bell striking solenoids without current passing to the ward disks M. ln order to understand the various cir'- cuits and the direction of the current, reference is now had to the wiring diagram, Figs. 2l and 22, and may be described as follows Assume that switch X1,-Fig. 12, has been closed by depressing key lever L1. Current entering at the instrument at the binding post 15 passes through the knife switch 136 at the point a and then leads by the lead t switch for ward #X.1, thence passes by the-lead c to the motor G and returns by the wire al to the Switchpoint e, thence by way of wire f to switch blade g on the switch 136 by the wire 14.

Assume that any of the other switches #X2, X5, X4 or X5 has been closed, taking for example switch #X2z current entering at 15 and passing through a and b leads to wire It, to switch #X2 at z' and j, the current dividing between Z and y', one wire K leading from point y' to the motor Gr by the wire c and returns to wire d to point m and wire n to the opposite switch X2 and thence by wire p to f and to switch knife g and out of wire 14. The other branch of switch X2 goes from point z' by wire s to the contact blade 70 on M G6, Fig. 21. The current from M56 passes by wire f to point u, thence by Wire o to the blade lw and wire fw, to the two solenoids 83 and 835 to bell-striking mechanism and returns by wire a' to point y of switch blade a5 to wire a to point on switch X2 and by way of p, f, g to 14. And it may now be stated that the switches X3, X4, X5 are all served and control the current in the manner described with reference to switch X2.

rlhe pilot light 133 is in a circuit leading to the ward control wheels M and will burn when the current is going to the solenoids on the bell striking mechanism, and will be out while the bell is being struck.

rIlhe current leading `to the motor D in the bell tower goes by way of 15, a, I), d to point e, thence through switch blade 7 and wire g to motor D, thence by wire it and switch blade i by wire j to switch W and by wires la to f and g to point 14, the pilot 1i ght 132 being connected on one side of this circuit.

The currents to the lire alarm boX in each ward and thence to the ward indicators and the key lever operating mechanism as graphically depicted in Fig. 21, in which the current is assumed to lead to the re alarm box B1 and thence to the key lever L1 and connected parts, takes the following course:

Entering at 15, through switch blade a, wire d to resistance coil 135, thence by wire a to solenoid K1 and by wire p to ire alarm boX B1 in ward No. 1, thence by wire t to c, f, g to 14. The circuits to the fire alarm boxes B2, 3, 4 and 5 are the same as described with reference to ire alarm box B1.

7When there is more than one fire alarm box in a ward, the circuits leading to these sub-fire alarm boXes are as shown in Fig. 22, it being assumed that in ward 5 there are three separate lire alarm boxes and that an alarm is turned in from boX W5; in which case 1 employ the annunciator V having three drops and lead the current from through a, b, UZ, (wire CZ on Figs. 21 and 22 is the same wire,) resistance coil 135 to solenoid K5, to the proper drop in annunciator V, thence to the ire alarm boX W3 in fard No. 5, back through the various leads to 14. And while it is true that the solenoid K5 will bev excited by this current passing through the same, still it can only operate or act on key lever L5, when there is no fire alarm being sounded, and that when these levers are locked, as already described during the ringing of an alarm, this solenoid remains inoperative but it will trip the annunciator number showing the tire boX location. And, furthermore, while there are three sub-stations in the ward under consideration and their wires go to the respective drops in the annunciator V, these three wires, after passing through the annunciator, are combined, to pass to the solenoid K5.

It is obvious that the number of key levers L and associated parts may be as many as there are fire wards in a town and that as many annunciators have to be installed as there are fire wards having sub lire alarm boxes and that these annunciators are provided with many drops as there are sub tire alarm boxes in a ward, matters which will be readily understood by persons skilled in this branch ot the The apparatus hereinbetore described is practically automatic; but where in smaller towns and villages` the expense of this complete apparatus is an objection, the cost thereof can be reduced by omitting the solenoids K and the connections between the apparatus and the ward indicator and have the operator attend to the pushing down of the proper key lever L when an alarm has been turned in and the ward in which the tire is located has been shown by the corresponding drop of the ward indicator.

ln order te provide means to take up all slack motions in the gears and also to take Vup back lash, when the hook T releases the rod 94 and likewise to arrest the momentum o the armature of the motor G, to prevent moving the gearing operated thereby beyond their normal position, l place on the operating shaft a brake ot suitable construction, an example of an eliicient brake being shown in Figs. 10, 11, and 12. A brake wheel 15() mounted on t ie operating shaft I, and provided with a, preferably, J groove, has located in this groove a split hand 151, which i is pressed into the gIOOVG by a SP'fl-'l-g 159; the

tension et which may be adjusted by a thumb nut 153, mounted on a stud bolt 154i, rising from a bracket 155 formed en the standard 2S at the outer end of shaft l.

And in order 'to properly guide the downwardly extending portions 16 on the key levers L, l pr vide a plate 163% Figs. 9 and 12, properly supported from the angles 45, d5?, hai/ing slots 63X, whe-rein the lower ends of the levers L slide. lhe electric contact brush 16b shown in Fig. 12 affords a good connection from the disks M to the gear housing H when the ground wire Ha is connected.

The four-blade switch 138, Figs. 12 and 21 Aopens all electric circuits between the ward control 'and the motor D in the bell tower and the solenoids 83, 83 on the hooks 79. rlhis makes it possible to stop the bell striking mechanism without stopping the ward control mechanism after it has once started. It is also used tor testing the ward control mechanism. lillhen this ward control mechanism has once started, it is necessary to allow it to run the full time orn four and one half minutes to return to starting position, when it automatically stopped; but it is not desired that the alarm bell be struck when testing this ward control mechanism,

hence the switch 138 breaks the current to the bell striking mechanism when opened'.

l have hereinbefore described very minutely the preferred embodiment of the construction and operation of this fire alarm system, nit l desire it to be distinctly understood that many ot the details shown and described may be changed and parts omitted wi hout departing 'from the scope of my invention as defined in the subjoined claims.

Having thus fully described this invention, 1 claim as new and desire to secure to myself by Letters Patent of the United States 1. A tire alarm system including an alarm bell, electrically operated mechanism for striking said alarm bell, a keyboard, a-series of key-levers pivotally mounted on said keyboard, an electric switch :tor each key-lever, an elect-ric motor connected to each of said key levers so as to be operatedV when anyone of said key levers is in depressed position, means Jfor locking said key levers in elevated position while said motor is operating, and means on each key lever for unlocking said key levers while said locking means are in locking position, said electric motor being operatively connected to the electrically operated mechanism for striking said alarm bell.

2. A tire alarm system including an alarm bell, electrically operated mechanism for striking said alarm bell, a key board, a series of key levers pivotally mounted on said key board, an electric switch for each key lever,

an electric motor includinga solenoidconneet-ed to each or said key levers, a second electric motor to be operated when any et' said key levers is depressed, mechanism for locking all the .key levers after an alarm has been initiated and betere the alarm is completely given, means on each key lever for unlocking any one of said key levers without disturbing the locked condition of the remaining key levers while said alarm is being given, and mechanism operable by said motor for operating said bell striking mechanism.

3. A fire alarm system, including an alarm bell, mechanism for striking said alarm bell, an electric motor associated with said bell striking mechanism, a key board, a series of key levers pivotally mounted on said key board, a second electric motor connected to each of said key levers to be 0perated when any one of said key levers is depressed, means for automatically raising the depressed key levers immediately after Vthe second electric motor has started its operation and thereby to lock all of the key levers in elevated position, and manually operated means on each key lever for unlocking any k one of said key levers before the said sec-ond motor has completed its cycle of operation, and mechanism Voperable by said latter motor for operating said iirst mentioned motor.

4. A fire alarm system, including an alarm bell, hammers constructed to strike said alarm bell, an electric motor constructed to operate said hammers, a key board, a series oi' key levers pivotally mounted on said key board, a second electric motor connected to each of said key levers so as to be operated when any one of said key levers is depressed, means for automatically raising the depressed key lever immediately after the second electric motor has started its operation and thereby to lock all of the keylevers in elevated position, manually operated means on each key lever for unlocking any one of said keys before the said second motor has completed its cycle of operation, and mechanism operable by said latter motor Jfor operating said first mentioned motor, said mechanism including an electric switch which automatically Opens and closes an electric circuit leading to the iirst motor.

5. A tire alarm system, including an alarm bell, hammers constructed to strike said alarm bell, an electric motor constructed to operate said hammers, a key board, a series of key levers pivotally mounted on said key board, a second electric motor electrically connected to each of said key levers so as to be operated when any one of said key levers is depressed, and mechanism operable by said latter motor for operating said first mentioned motor to operate said hammers, there being on, said hammers electrically operated means for preventing said hammers from striking said bell while said first mentioned motor is operating.

6. A fire alarm system, includingan alarm bell, a pair of hammers constructed to strike said bell alternately, an electric motor for operating said hammers, a key board, a series of keys on said key board, a second electric motor electrically connected to each of said keys so as to be operated when any of said keys is depressed, said second electric motor being operatively connected to said first electric motor, and electrically 0perated means on said hammers for preventing said hammers from striking said bell while said first mentioned motor is operating.

7. A fire alarm system including an alarm bell, one or more hammers constructed to strike said bell, an electric motor, means constructed to operate said hammer or hammers by said motor, a key board, a series of keys on said key board, electric switch members connected to said keys, co-acting switch members constructed to engage the latter switch members when any one of said keys is depressed, an electric motor associated with said key board and operable when said switch members are in engagement, automatically operating means for locking all of the key levers in elevated position, manually operating means for unlocking any one of said key levers while an alarm is being given, without disturbing the locked condition of the remaining kev levers, and mechanism operable by the latter motor for initiating the operation of the first mentioned electric motor.

8. In a lire alarm system, a iire alarm bell mechanism for causing the ringing of said tire alarm bell by strokes upon said bell in a predetermined order, an electric motor for operating said mechanism, a key board, a series of keys mounted on said key board, a motor associated with said keys, means for operating the latter motor when any one of said keys is depressed, automatically operating means for locking all of the key levers in elevated position after the second electric motor has started its cycle of operation, manually operating means on each key lever for unlocking any one of said key levers while an alarm is being given, mechanism operable by said latter motor for controlling the striking of said bell, including rotating control wheels in an electric circuit leading to said bell striking mechanism, said wheels being constructed when rotating to open and close said electric circuit at predestined intervals.

9. 1n a iire alarm system, a tire alarm bell mechanism for causing the ringing of said fire alarm bell by strokes upon said bell in a predetermined order, an electric motor for operating said mechanism, a key board, a series of keys mounted on said key board, a motor associated with said keys, means for operating the latter motor when any one of said keys is depressed, mechanism operable by said latter motor for controlling the striking oi said bell, including rotating control wheels in an electric Vcircuit leading to said bell striking mechanism, said wheels being constructed when rotating to open and close said electric circuit at predestined intervals, there being electrically operated means on the bell striking mechanism operable by an electric current passing over said electric circuit.

10. An electrically operated re alarm system including an alarm bell, mechanism for striking said alarm bell, a key board, a series of keys on said key board, an electric motor associated with said keys wherebyby depressing any one of said keys, said motor is started to operate said bell striking mechanism, means constructed to lock said keys against depression during the time that said striking mechanism is operating, and means on each key for manually unlocking any one of said keys without disturbing the locked condition ot1 the remaining keys.

y11. An electrically operated fire alarm system including' an alarm bell, mechanism for striking said alarm bell, a key board, a series of keys on said key board, an electric motor associated with said keys whereby by depressing any one of said keys, said motor is started to operate said bell striking mechanism, means constructed to lock said keys against depression during the time that said striking mechanism is operating, the latter means including a bar, said bar being automatically moved under said keys as soon as said operating motor has commenced its operation, and manually operated means on each key for unlocking any one key without disturbing the locked condition of the remaining keys.

1Q. An electric-ally operated lire alarm system including an alarm bell, mechanism for'striking said alarm bell, a key board, a series oi keys on said key board, an electric motor associated with said keys whereby by depressing any one of said keys, said motor is started to operate said bell striking mechanism, and means constructed to lock said keys against depression during the time that said striking mechanism is operating, the latter means including a bar, saidbar being automatically moved under said keys as soon as said operating motor has commenced its operation, said b-ar being automatically returned to normal position to release said keys when said motor approaches the cessation cf rotation. f

13. In an automatically operating fire alarm system, a fire bell, meansfor striking said bell, a key board, keys on said key board, said keys comprising a series of pivotally mounted levers, a like series of pivotally mounted arms located below said. key

levers, an element ot' an electric switch mounted on each of said pivoted arms, a second element of an electric switch mounted below each olsaid irst named switch elements, said arms being normally in elevated position held therein by said pivoted key levers, but liberated when said key levers are depressed, an electric motor associated with said keys, said electric motor being operated by an electric current passing over a circuit 'of which the said switch members are a part, whereby said electric circuitv is closed when said key levers are depressed and said arms are liberated to engage the opposed switch members and close said electric circuit to cause the operation of said electric motor, said electric motor being operatively connected to the means for striking said bell;

1d. In an automatically operating ire alarm system a. fire bell, neans for striking said bell, a key board, keys on said key board, said keys comprising a seriesofpivotally mounted levers, a like series of pivot-A ally mounted arms located .below saidy key levers, anA element of an' electric switch 15282295VIV mounted on each of said pivoted arms, a second elementoi' an electric switch mounted below each of said first named switch elements, said arms being norn'ially in elevated position held therein by said pivoted key' levers, but liberated when said key levers are depressed, an electric motor associated with said keys, said electric motor being operated by an electric current passing over a circuit of which the said switch members are a part, whereby said electric circuit is closed when said key levers are depressed and said arms are liberated to engage the opposed switch members and close said electric current to cause the operation of said electric motor and means for automatically depressing said key levers, said electric motor being electrically connected to said means for striking said bell, said connection including an electric'switch operated by saidmotor to close an electric circuit leading to said bell-striking mechanism.

15. 1n an automatic fire alarmsystem, an electric motor, a iire alarm bell, mechanism for strikingsaid bell, said mechanism being operable when said electric motor is operating, a series of keys, each of said keys being electrically connected to said motor to cause the operation of said motor when any one of said keys is depressed, said keys being pivotally mounted levers, means for locking said keys in inoperative position, and means on said key levers for unlocking any one or more of said keys without unlocking theyremainder of said key levers.

16. In an automatic fire alarm system, an electric motor, a iire alarm bell, mechanism for striking said bell, said mechanism being operable when said electric motor is operating, a series of keys, each of said keys being electrically connected to said motor to cause the operation of said motor when any one of said keys is depressed, said keys being pivotally mounted' levers, means for locking said keys in inoperative position, and means on said key levers for unlocking any one or more of said key levers without unlocking the remainder ot'said key levers, said locking mechanism comprising a bar which is autoJ matically moved under said key levers after one ot said key levers has been depressed,

saidv locking means including a sliding element on each key lever and a pivotally` mounted, rotatable part normally locked against rotation by said sliding' element, wherebyby moving said slidingve'lement to liberate 4said rotatable part, said rotatable part will be caused to rotate by depressing said key lever.

17. In an automatically operating lire' means for automatically depressing anyone of said keys without effecting the remaining key levers, means for automatically raising said key levers after the same have been depressed, said means being also constructed to lock said key levers in raised position after an alarm has been started, and means for unlocking any one of the locked keysl without releasing the remaining key levers.

18. In an automatically operating re alarm system, a series of key levers each one of which is instrumental in starting the sounding of a fire alarmY when depressed, means for automatically depressing any one of said keys without effecting the remaining key levers, said means including electrically operated elements connected to said key levers, means for automatically raising said key levers after having been depressed, said means being constructed to also lock said keys in raised position after an alarm has been started, and manually operated means on each key for releasing the same from the locking means without disturbing the locked condition of the remaining keys.

19. 1n an automatically operating fire alarm system, a series of key levers each one of which is instrumental in starting the sounding of a iire alarm when depressed, means for automatically depressing any one of said keys without effecting the remaining.

key levers, said means including electrically operated elements connected to said key levers, said electrically operated elements being operated from any station remote from said elements when an electric circuit is closed that leads to said elements, automatically operated means for locking all of said keys in elevated position after an alarm has been started, and manually ,operated means on each key for releasing any one of said keys without affecting the locked condition of the remaining keys.

20. In a fire alarm system, a series of ward fire alarm boxes, an electric circuit for each ward box leadingto a central station, an annunciator connected to these circuits, said annunciator having as many drops as there are ward boxes in the ward, a re alarm bell, mechanism for striking said fire alarm bell, and means for operating said bell striking mechanism to indicate the location of a lire, said means including a key board, as many keys on said key board as there are lire wards, an electric motor connected to each of said keys, ward control wheels operated by said motor, each of said ward control wheels being in electrical connection with said bell striking mechanism independently of the other wheels, and means operated by said motor for restoring the annunciator to normal position after a drop therein has been exposed and a re alarm has been given.

21. In a fire alarm system, a lire alarm bell, mechanism for striking said lire alarm bell to indicate the location of a fire, a key board, a series of key levers pivotally mounted on said key board, each of said key levers having a downwardly extending arm, plates on eac 1 arm, one of said plates being movably connected to said arm, there being on saidmovable plate a wedge shaped projection, the end of each arm being likewise wedge shaped, a series of pivoted arms, one of which is located below each'of said' key levers, said arms resting normally on the projection of the before mentioned movable plate, there being on each pivoted arm switch elements which close an electric cir cuit when an arm is dropped, whereby when said arm on the key lever is moved away from said plates by depressing said key lever, said pivoted arm may drop to close said electric circuit, and means for lifting said pivoted arms to normally elevated position.

22. In a lire alarm system', a fire alarm bell, mechanism for striking said fire alarm bell to indicate the location of a fire, a key board, a series of key levers pivotally mounted on said key board, each of said key levers having a downwardly extending arm, plates on each arm, one of said plates being movably connected to said arm, there being on said movable plate a wedge shaped projection, the end of each arm being likewise wedge shaped, a series of pivoted arms, one of which is located below each of said key levers, said arms resting normally on the projection of the before mentioned movable plate, there being on each pivoted arm switch elements which close an electric circuit when an arm is dropped, whereby when Y said arm on the key lever is moved away from said plates by depressing said key lever, said pivoted arm may drop to close said electric circuit, and manually operated means for lifting said pivoted arms to normally elevated position.

Q3. In an automatically operating fire alarm system a fire alarm bell, electrically operated mechanism for striking said bell to indicate the location of a fire, automatically operating mechanism for starting the electrically operated bell striking mechanism, and causing it to continue to operate during a predetermined time, automatically operated mechanism for stopping the bell striking mechanism after the lapse of said predetermined time during which the said bell striking mechanism is operating and manually operated means for silencing the bell d uring a part of the predetermined time during which the bell striking mechanism must operate to complete its cycle of operation.

24E. In an automatically operating fire alarm system a fire alarm bell, electrically trically operated bell striking mechanism,

and causing it to continue to operate during apredetermined time, automatically operated mechanism for stopping the bell striking mechanism after the lapse of said predetermined time during which the said bell striking mechanism is operating, said automatically operated mechanism including a mechanically operated electric switch which closes an electric circuit leading to the electrically operated mechanism which strikes'said bell and keeps the said circuit closed during the allotted time during Which said bell striking mechanism shall operate and then opens said circuit to stop the ringing of the bell,

and manually operated means for silencing hand.

VILTON S. SCHUYLER copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingl the Commissioner of Patents,

'Washingtoy D. C. c

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